


Purrfect

by patrickbrewer



Category: Schitt's Creek
Genre: Canon Compliant, Cats, Domestic Fluff, Home, Introspection, M/M, Personal Growth
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-23
Updated: 2019-07-23
Packaged: 2020-07-11 17:41:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,403
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19931947
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/patrickbrewer/pseuds/patrickbrewer
Summary: “The last time I saw a cat was when I tried to sneak out of a one night stand’s house, which I had to dotoplessafter finding my sweater clawed to shreds, and walked in on her cleaning its fur with herown tongue.”orDavid comes home to Patrick cuddling a kitten.





	Purrfect

**Author's Note:**

> don't mind me, i'm just gonna dip my toe into this fandom and hope for the best (also i am well known for being absolutely horrible at titling my fics so feel free to ignore that disaster)

The days when Patrick is away for his business seminars are always the worst for David. 

The idea for the store was a seed that was planted in his own mind, an unknown species that would bring a kind of life to Schitt’s Creek that had never been seen before. It had a certain elegance and creativity that was buried beneath the tall sprouts of grass and endless dirt roads that made up the town, and at first David was prepared to do it all on his own, because that’s all he knew growing up. 

His dad was always busy with Rose Video, his mom was off performing in Sunrise Bay, and Alexis was constantly involved in reckless battles that required ridiculous bargaining chips and an abundance of quick thinking. So David was on his own, forced to confront the challenges he faced in silence.

But if there is anything that Schitt’s Creek has taught him, it’s that he is _far_ from alone (obviously aside from the fact that he literally sleeps two feet away from Alexis and next door to his parents). 

Stevie was the sunlight that warmed him from the inside out, encouraging him to take that step forward and take over the general store. Before it had seemed like an impossibility to him, a self-deprecating joke that he played over and over in his head. He had his galleries back in the day, but he had been surrounded by people who thought on the same track, had the same taste and, frankly, _income_ as he did. He didn’t have to worry about success, because he knew– or at least believed at the time– that he would have money to fall back on. But Stevie challenged him in a way that made him want to keep climbing.

And then there was Patrick, a beautiful enigma who David just happened to stumble upon. He was the water that made the seed sprout and grow into something wonderful, with his quick wit and unerring belief in David’s vision. He laid the solid foundation down that the store now stands proudly atop of.

So yeah, it’s safe to say David is lucky, but that doesn’t mean that he can’t get a little pouty when his fiancé leaves him to tend to the store by his lonesome. 

It’s always when he’s by himself that Roland decides to come in and discuss the moles on his back while his son screams in his stroller, or when Bob comes in looking for one thing but takes nearly an hour to actually buy it because he calls Gwen at least 7 times to make sure she’s okay with it. And then of course there are the customers who have a 20 minute debate with David over whether or not the body milk is edible and ultimately leave the store with _nothing_. 

By the time these days end and he’s ready to close for the night David is always in an even worse mood than usual and tonight is no different, though there is a slight skip in his step as he exits the store, knowing Patrick is at home preparing dinner for them both. His mom’s secret spaghetti recipe is better than anything David has eaten in all of his worldly travels, which he makes sure to tell her on the phone frequently. 

A small grin curls on his lips as he heads toward the apartment, and he waves absentmindedly at everyone he passes, mostly focused on Marcy and Clint’s upcoming visit. David and Patrick are going to be hosting a big family dinner. It will be the first time all of them can sit down in a quiet place and actually have a conversation, which under most circumstances would terrify David, but he’s found in the past couple years that making connections is a positive thing when it happens between the right people. 

This is something he never imagined he’d have: a real, tight-knit family, a home full of genuine warmth rather than fake pleasantries.

A fiancé. A _husband_. 

It’s all very surreal, and he feels his sour mood draining from his body as he opens the apartment door.

And then he sees a _cat_.

More specifically, he sees a cat cradled in Patrick’s arms like a baby, head tilted back and purring as he scratches under its chin. It’s tiny, orange fur soft and most likely inviting to the average person, but David can see its claws digging slightly into Patrick’s skin and he takes a step back, accidentally stumbling into the door. It slams shut with a loud bang, spooking the fluffy intruder, and it struggles out of Patrick’s grip, darting under the couch. 

“What the hell is going on here?” David asks, still plastered against the door. 

He doesn’t take his eyes off of the couch, ensuring the little demon doesn’t have the chance to sneak up on him. 

“Hello to you, too,” Patrick replies, as snippy and fond as ever. 

“Why did you bring that _thing_ into our home?” 

“You mean the _kitten_?” Patrick responds, stepping forward to press a kiss to David’s cheek. “I found her outside. I was going to call Ted and then go drop her off at his office, but then she started purring and I couldn’t put her down.” 

“Okay, so first you leave me alone at the store and force me to listen to Roland describe the texture of his back in excruciating detail, and now you’ve brought a street animal into my one safe place?” 

“Since when do you not like kittens?” Patrick asks incredulously. “I thought you were only afraid of bugs and heights.” 

“The last time I saw a cat was when I tried to sneak out of a one night stand’s house, which I had to do _topless_ after finding my sweater clawed to shreds, and walked in on her cleaning its fur with her _own tongue_.” 

Patrick presses his lips together tightly, but a hint of a smile breaks through his composure. David crosses his arms as a small chuckle escapes his fiancé’s throat. 

“It’s not funny! She hissed at me when I ran past her to get to the door!” 

This just makes Patrick laugh harder, and soon enough he’s falling into David’s arms, a teary mess as he cracks up at the picture David painted for him. David holds him against his chest, allowing a smile to spread across his face while Patrick is distracted, and narrows his eyes as the kitten peeks its head out from beneath the couch. 

Its eyes are wide and green, pupils large from the darkness of its shelter, and David purses his lips. So maybe it’s kind of cute, and it doesn’t actually look anything like the one from his nightmares. 

Maybe, just like everything else in this town, he can give it a chance. Maybe he doesn’t have to let his past dictate his future anymore. 

“Fine,” he says as Patrick calms down. “I’ll hold her for one minute. But if she scratches me I’m holding you personally responsible.” 

“Oh, I plan on it,” Patrick replies seriously. 

He steps toward the couch slowly, making sure the kitten won’t flee, before picking her up and moving back toward David as she curls into his arms once more. She’s purring again, loud and content, and David tenses as Patrick holds her out, nodding encouragingly. 

“As long as you don’t pull her tail you’ll be fine,” he says as David stretches his arms out, and soon enough they’re full of the little beast.

Warmth seeps through his sweater sleeves into his skin, and he can’t help but smile as the purring increases. She snuggles against his arm, rubbing her head against the black fabric and leaving a small tuft of hair behind. He gently scratches behind her ears and beams as she closes her eyes, basking in the newfound attention. 

They stand in silence for a long time, the only sound her purrs of approval, until finally David speaks. 

“We can keep her on three conditions.”

Patrick steps forward and wraps his arms around David’s waist, hooking his chin on his shoulder. “And what would those be?” 

“You clean the litter box,” he says, earning a disgruntled hum, “we buy many, _many_ lint rollers, and we name her Mariah.” 

Patrick shakes his head, letting out a low laugh before pressing a kiss to David’s neck. 

“Deal.” 

**Author's Note:**

> come visit me on tumblr or twitter (both @patrickbrewcr) if you wanna say hi or send prompts! 💜


End file.
